At the risk of retreating into a corner and gibbering, I'd like to raise a question about the ABC Warriors' personal timeline.
I was under the impression that around the time of The Black Hole the warriors had travelled back in time to the Terran Empire, prior to the name change to Termight, Torquemada etc. And so it remained throughout the Khronicles of Khaos and Hellbringer.
In Return To Mars we find out that – upon receiving Tubal Caine's signal – the warriors set their space/time co-ordinates to some time just after the Medusa consciousness awakens. This is a number of centuries after their first mission to tame Mars.
To my mind their return to Mars took them even further back into the "past", prior to the Terran Empire, Emperor Zallin and all that. That may just be my fanciful thinking, however.
Now, though, in two episodes of Fallout we're told that the Martian city Mekana has been voted the ugliest city in the galaxy. More specifically it's been said twice that it beat Mausoleum and Necropolis on Termight.
Is this a case of a poll taken in the far future that is being recalled in "the past" because their second Mars mission is the first time they've actually visited Mekana. Or are we to take it that elsewhere in the solar system Termite has already risen, which brings with it all the associated questions of Medusa's "alien" creations and the questionable purity of the Humpies.
As a rule I do love how non-linear the ABC Warriors is. Not only the bouncing around time, but the reminiscing (which has been a feature since Hammerstein's War Memories). I like to think that these robots are so old now that they need to regularly "de-frag" their memories with these stories from the past in order to shore up their personal reality and sense of self.
The double mention of Termight in the present tense has go0t me scratching my head.
And heck, in for a penny: while I'm here when in Deadlock's personal timeline do we all think he went to Termight and helped that biker gang after Nemesis ended? Between Khronicles of Khaos and Hellbringer?
I'll be in the corner gibbering now...
Do what I do, every time I dare to think about ABC Warriors (dis)continuity: blame Thoth. A Warlock did it.
And welcome, Andrew! Plenty of grumps here to keep you company.
Your confusion is all based on the assumption that, if Terra has 'become' Termight, then Torquemada's anti-science, anti-alien coup must also have already come to pass. But if Termight's currently under an earlier, more enlightened rule then there's no conflict re: Mars and its martians. There was a Soviet Russia before Stalin, after all.
I've got to be honest; I think it's all a bit of a mess these days. I think the original return to Mars was an attempt to return to the classic days of the Warriors (as was Pat's wont in those days - Slaine was seeing dead adversaries pop up again all over the shop), but there wasn't really a proper explanation as to how this happened or how the timeline had progressed.
I try not to think about it and just enjoy the pretty robots
In a sense, I'd prefer it if I could do that, but so much about Pat's writing in ABC Warriors is about fixing/talking about continuity/history. It kind of needs to be a Doctor Who – there's so much messing about with time that you simply can't tie it all together. In the event, that's not what really happens.
IP puts his finger on it there. I've got pretty good at just going with the flow as far as Uncle Pat's continuities are concerned, but when ABC Warriors is almost entirely about the convoluted histories of its protagonists and setting, it's rather hard to look the other way. And thus whenever my mind wanders towards incredulity, I lay everything at the dinky cloven hooves of Thoth.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 16 January, 2018, 11:24:08 AM
I think the original return to Mars was an attempt to return to the classic days of the Warriors
I recall really enjoying the initial return to Mars arcs, but a new setting would be more than welcome.
The follow-up Mars setting has been in place since Prog 2000 (December 1999)!
I feel that the current story-line is pushing forward somewhat, and anticipate a new direction (and likely new team line-up) by the time it wraps up.
On a related subject, what happened to that army of bad robots, including Blackblood, Mek Quake and Volkhan? About 10 years ago they were on their way to confront our heroes, but then we had all the flashbacks. Flashbacks are over now though aren't they, but we seem to have forgotten about the other lot.
Quote from: Southstreeter on 17 January, 2018, 08:19:05 PM
On a related subject, what happened to that army of bad robots, including Blackblood, Mek Quake and Volkhan? About 10 years ago they were on their way to confront our heroes, but then we had all the flashbacks. Flashbacks are over now though aren't they, but we seem to have forgotten about the other lot.
That confrontation took place in 'The Volgan War' Book IV didn't it?
Did it? What happened to them? I honestly can't recall. I just remember them all getting ready to rumble, and then I thought the next series was Return to... [somewhere] and the Tubal Caine reunion.
There was a rumble, the Warriors were on the brink of defeat and then Steelhorn rocked up with his Implosion Hammer and sent them away on their toes, abandoning Mek-Quake to his fate. They turned up again briefly at the end of 'Return to Mars', vowing to settle the score one day.
Jeez, I'm too old for comics. I have no recollection of any of that!
Don't worry – it'll probably be ret-conned in a year or two anyway, after another book that inexplicably gets away with 'getting the gang back together' yet again.
Quote from: Southstreeter on 18 January, 2018, 08:02:22 PM
Jeez, I'm too old for comics. I have no recollection of any of that!
Ha, it's something I find happens quite regularly too- I can recall events from most comics I read as a kid or teen in intricate detail, yet a story from say two years ago (especially one that didn't really grab me)- fergettaboutit.
Quote from: Link Prime on 19 January, 2018, 09:57:53 AM
Quote from: Southstreeter on 18 January, 2018, 08:02:22 PM
Jeez, I'm too old for comics. I have no recollection of any of that!
Ha, it's something I find happens quite regularly too- I can recall events from most comics I read as a kid or teen in intricate detail, yet a story from say two years ago (especially one that didn't really grab me)- fergettaboutit.
Pretty similar here, though even with stories I like at the time I won't necessarily remember any details. I think around 600 - 700 is probably my limit.
Quote from: sheridan on 19 January, 2018, 09:41:17 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 19 January, 2018, 09:57:53 AM
Quote from: Southstreeter on 18 January, 2018, 08:02:22 PM
Jeez, I'm too old for comics. I have no recollection of any of that!
Ha, it's something I find happens quite regularly too- I can recall events from most comics I read as a kid or teen in intricate detail, yet a story from say two years ago (especially one that didn't really grab me)- fergettaboutit.
Pretty similar here, though even with stories I like at the time I won't necessarily remember any details. I think around 600 - 700 is probably my limit.
Progs 600 to 700 that is, in case it wasn't clear from the context.
Quote from: Link Prime on 17 January, 2018, 10:52:52 AM
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 16 January, 2018, 11:24:08 AM
I think the original return to Mars was an attempt to return to the classic days of the Warriors
I recall really enjoying the initial return to Mars arcs, but a new setting would be more than welcome.
The follow-up Mars setting has been in place since Prog 2000 (December 1999)!
I feel that the current story-line is pushing forward somewhat, and anticipate a new direction (and likely new team line-up) by the time it wraps up.
Maybe we could move on to a new location? How about a trip back forward in time to post-Torquemada Termight?
That'd leave no more timey wimey issues to deal with (and allow the return of one of the best locations Pat Mills has ever created).
Quote from: credo on 22 January, 2018, 10:14:20 AM
Maybe we could move on to a new location? How about a trip back forward in time to post-Torquemada Termight?
That'd leave no more timey wimey issues to deal with (and allow the return of one of the best locations Pat Mills has ever created).
I wouldn't mind seeing what Purity's Terra is like, or following Isis'(?) continuing adventures.
Quote from: sheridan on 24 January, 2018, 12:57:37 PM
Quote from: credo on 22 January, 2018, 10:14:20 AM
Maybe we could move on to a new location? How about a trip back forward in time to post-Torquemada Termight?
That'd leave no more timey wimey issues to deal with (and allow the return of one of the best locations Pat Mills has ever created).
I wouldn't mind seeing what Purity's Terra is like, or following Isis'(?) continuing adventures.
And by 'wouldn't mind' I mean ' would really love'
I do love how compromised Purity had become by the time she was President in that Deadlock story. I agree there's lots to mine there.
Hasn't there been time travel in ABC Warriors? (There's a Black Hole that's used for transport.) That would mess everything up re. timelines.
In the latest story (Prog 2071),[spoiler] the Warriors are attacked by Blackblood's robots. [/spoiler] However, in Prog 2070 we saw that Deadlock can generate impenetrable force fields. Why doesn't he generate another to defend the Warriors in Prog 2071? Is he exhausted already?!
Adjusted for the spoiler...
For robots that are specifically designed to be proof against atomic, bacterial and chemical weapons, they sure do get taken down a lot by plain ol' bullets, and by being hit hard by other robots. Perhaps they need to recruit a new generation of 'wood, metal and tension' proof warriors?
On the other hand, they're also great at being pulverized, turned inside out and even melted down and then being reassembled, so perhaps it doesn't matter.
I second the call to end the Mars sequence and get them back to either pre-Torque Termite or Post-Purity Termight and visit that world again! Maybe even with a - pause for breath - new artist at the helm..?
Presumably all those time-travel inconsistencies have been resolved in the fabled Joe Pineapples solo story, itself a wormhole of lost time.
Quote from: AlexF on 13 March, 2018, 01:08:51 PM
Maybe even with a - pause for breath - new artist at the helm..?
Oh yes please... DaNi's Blackblood thrill last year was excellent and there are plenty of other artists who can draw robots.
Quote from: Tomwe on 13 March, 2018, 01:16:22 PM
Quote from: AlexF on 13 March, 2018, 01:08:51 PM
Maybe even with a - pause for breath - new artist at the helm..?
Oh yes please... DaNi's Blackblood thrill last year was excellent and there are plenty of other artists who can draw robots.
I'd like to see more from DaNi - what has she worked on so far for the GG? Fiends and Blackblood, both one offs.
DaNi did the Anderson story for last years FCBD issue not Blackblood - that was Kei Zama. I'd be happy to see either of them featured in the prog. DaNi's art in the Scream/Misty special was ace and Zama really nailed Blackblood.
I'm a huge fan of Clint Langley, and his contribution to the ABC Warriors saga, but would also like to see some fresh takes on Old Red Eyes and chums.
A series of shorter stories by varied artists (including the Langley Droid of course) would be very welcome.
An arc by Kei Zama would be essential, her Blackblood one-off was stunning.
Quote from: Cosier on 14 March, 2018, 10:43:33 PM
DaNi did the Anderson story for last years FCBD issue not Blackblood - that was Kei Zama. I'd be happy to see either of them featured in the prog. DaNi's art in the Scream/Misty special was ace and Zama really nailed Blackblood.
Whoops, should have checked my recollection before posting. Thank you for the correction.
Quote from: Tomwe on 15 March, 2018, 09:34:14 AM
Quote from: Cosier on 14 March, 2018, 10:43:33 PM
DaNi did the Anderson story for last years FCBD issue not Blackblood - that was Kei Zama. I'd be happy to see either of them featured in the prog. DaNi's art in the Scream/Misty special was ace and Zama really nailed Blackblood.
Whoops, should have checked my recollection before posting. Thank you for the correction.
Makes me want to re-read all the FBCD progs now (and throw in the summer/Hallowe'en specials too).
Quote from: Cosier on 14 March, 2018, 10:43:33 PM
DaNi did the Anderson story for last years FCBD issue not Blackblood - that was Kei Zama.
...and now I realise that Zama has been drawing those *other* robots I was alluding to (in my own head) over in IDW's Optimus Prime series.
Another artist lost to American publishers!
Actually, Kei was working for them first.
She was even going to do a Zarjaz strip before she landed the FCBD gig, but it never worked out.
I drew a handy guide
(https://i.imgur.com/gaqyS1c.jpg)
Yeah, but where does Deadlock fit into that?